Iraq Sunnis rally against Shiite-led government

Associated Press ^ | Jan 18, 2013 10:18 AM EST | Sameer N. Yacoub

[Olog-hai]

Thousands of Sunnis rallied Friday in western and central Iraq, denouncing the Shiite-led government’s policies they claim sideline their sect and saying that recent concessions by the authorities are not enough.

The protests—the fourth Friday in a row of rallies in Sunni parts of the country—come as tensions are rising among Iraq’s ethnic and sectarian groups, threatening to plunge the country into more instability. …

Sheik Hassan al-Samarie, one of the organizers of the Samarra rally, said the Sunnis there are disappointed by the slow response of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government in fulfilling their demands.

“We are fed up with the void promises of the government,” al-Samarie told The Associated Press over the phone. “Our demands must be achieved very soon, otherwise the number of the protesters will increase.” …

[Olog-hai]

Hmm. Weren’t there lots of Iraqis that wanted US troops to stay, right before Obama ordered them out? (Must be Bush’s fault again.)

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Olog-hai. G’night again, and I mean it this time! :’)